Raptors 2023-24 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions
The Toronto Raptors will be entering a new era during the 2023-24 season.
After a disappointing year that saw them finish with a 41-41 record and get bounced from the play-in tournament, the Raptors made a few changes this offseason that will surely pay dividends going forward.
Most notably, Toronto fired head coach Nick Nurse and replaced him with former Memphis Grizzlies assistant Darko Rajakovic. Longtime point guard Fred VanVleet departed for the Houston Rockets.
Veteran point guard Dennis Schröder was brought in to facilitate things for two-time All-Star Pascal Siakam. 2022 NBA Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes is expected to take a leap in his third year. The Raptors held on to swingman O.G. Anunoby despite significant trade interest from around the league. Toronto selected former Kansas sharpshooter Gradey Dick with the 13th overall pick in this year's draft.
Still, it will be tough for the Raptors to keep their heads above water in an ever-improving Eastern Conference.
Here's a look at the slate Toronto will be going up against this season.
2023-24 Raptors Schedule Details
Season Opener: Wednesday, Oct. 25 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Championship Odds: +10000 (bet $100 to win $10,000), per FanDuel
Full Schedule: NBA.com
Top Matchups
Brooklyn Nets (First game: Nov. 28)
The Atlantic Division was one of two divisions to have every team finish with a record of .500 or better. While the Raptors might not be able to keep up with elite teams like the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers, they could be competitive against lower-tiered teams like the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nets were swept out of the playoffs last season by the Sixers, and they didn't make many changes to their roster. While Brooklyn may not be a legitimate title contender this year, it has a talented group that shouldn't be slept on.
Mikal Bridges emerged as a rising star when he arrived to the Nets as part of the trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns. He upped his scoring average from 17.2 points per game in 56 games in Phoenix to 26.1 in 27 games in Brooklyn, making him one of the best two-way players in the league.
The Nets also retained rising young forward Cameron Johnson, who's a career 39.3-percent shooter from three-point range. Veteran point guard Spencer Dinwiddie will be orchestrating the offense while center Nic Claxton will be anchoring the defense.
The Raptors will have to take care of business in their four matchups against the Nets if they hope to compete for a playoff spot this year.
Miami Heat (First game: Jan. 17)
While the defending Eastern Conference champions should be in line to contend for a title again this season, the Miami Heat actually struggled mightily against the Raptors last year with three losses in their four matchups.
Miami retained most of the group that made a run to the NBA Finals as a No. 8 seed. Jimmy Butler will be back to lead the way after another strong postseason performance. Tyler Herro should be healthy after recovering from a broken hand that he suffered at the beginning of the playoffs. Bam Adebayo will once again be running things on the defensive end.
While the Heat lost point guard Gabe Vincent to the Los Angeles Lakers, the team brought in veteran guard Josh Richardson to replace him in the backcourt. Former Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry will likely also be counted on more in his role off the bench.
If Toronto can be successful against Miami in their three matchups this season, it would surely make a statement that the Raptors can compete with anybody.
Season Forecast
There should be low expectations for the Raptors during the 2023-24 season. The Eastern Conference is more talented than ever, and Toronto could have trouble keeping up.
Siakam can be counted on to continue producing consistently, but there are a lot of question marks around him.
Barnes is expected to assume a more significant role on offense, but it remains to be seen what exactly that would entail. Anunoby still has to prove he can be the two-way star he's projected to be. Schröder shouldn't be expected to be the offensive contributor VanVleet was.
Rajakovic should bring a strong defensive philosophy from his time in Memphis, but there will be a lot of work for Toronto to do in order to be competitive.
While a playoff spot is not off the table, it could take another trip through the play-in tournament for the Raptors to get to the postseason.
Record Prediction: 40-42
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